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Red Wings’ Outlook Improves With Howard Shutout

REBECCA COOK/REUTERSRed Wings goalie Jimmy Howard made his most important save of Tuesday’s Game 4 against the Coyotes without his mask. Detroit won, 3-0, to tie the first-round series.

Cancel the four-alarm red alert, for now, on the state of Detroit Red Wings.

They dramatically improved their goaltending and defense in Tuesday’s Game 4 against the Phoenix Coyotes, and won 3-0 at Joe Louis Arena. The first-round series is tied at two games apiece, with Game 5 Friday in Phoenix.

The most noticeable change was the goaltending of the rookie Jimmy Howard, who played steadier, turned away 29 shots and earned his first career playoff shutout.

And it also helped that the Wings defense kill six Coyotes power plays.

Howard proved he was calmer in the second period, after taking a wicked slap shot from Keith Yandle in the face. The force of Yandle’s shot ripped Howard’s mask off his head, yet play continued.
Howard remained crouched in the crease, face bare, and made another save before play was whistled dead.

“I would have taken it off the face if I had to,” Howard told the Detroit News. “Yandle’s got a cannon. I got to see it all the way, and the fact it hit me in the head, I was able to see where it went after that. It didn’t really faze me at all.”

Howard, who looked shaky in the Wings 4-2 loss in Sunday’s Game 3 at Joe Louis Arena, said he felt less nervous before Game 4.

“When I woke up (Tuesday) morning, for some reason, I knew it was gonna be a great day,” Howard said. “You know, a little adversity’s never hurt anybody. That’s what I told myself, this is only going to make me better, if I can look it down and attack it and not let it affect me.”

Coyotes Coach Dave Tippett acknowledged Howard’s play, seeing it as another part of two evenly matched teams.

“We knew it would be a very tight series,” Tippett told the Arizona Republic. “For us, because that’s the kind of team we are. We play a lot of tight games. We’ve done a pretty good job most of the year. We find ways to win those tight games.

“Now we’re in the middle of a series, and we’re deadlocked, so I look forward to the challenge. Our players look forward to the challenge, but we recognize they’re a very good team, lots of experience, but I think our team still has more to give.”

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